Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Friday morning... Down to 52 and mostly cloudy, little sun. The wind died down last night some, and it rained pretty good for a little bit. But we only wound up with .5 inch of rain total in the rain gauges.
Forecast is calling for more winds today. The it is going to clear off some and sun and temps up to the 80's ??? 80's in April??? Crazy. And the forecast is saying 80's for over a week...

Getting ready to go up to calves...

At least with 1/2 inch, the bulbs I planted in the planters got a decent watering to settle things in... Might get another passing shower/rain this afternoon as the last of it goes through towards the coast.

Glad @Mini Horses didn't get so much rain... I sure feel bad for the ones in TX and the states that got the tornadic activity.... as well as the downpours. Rain has been really crazy this year.

If it warms up like they are forecasting, with even this 1/2 inch of rain, the grass will grow by inches a day...

 

[farmerjan]

Put it here for you Jan. I just ran across it. You know too much truth on a main thread would get somebody's knickers in a wad.

Where did you find this? I want to have some sources to put in front of people that do not want to really believe how bad it has gotten... Thanks for finding this...

 

[CLSranch]

Where did you find this? I want to have some sources to put in front of people that do not want to really believe how bad it has gotten... Thanks for finding this...

I stole it from someone else. (just like all the herd humor memes) I'm not sure of the original research site.

 

[farmerjan]

It was a chilly day all day... mostly cloudy too. Had a bout of about 3-5 minutes when I was feeding bottles... had 1 calf in the other "side" of the barn with the outside door shut... had put some feed in outside trough and the rest in the bunk... but temp had the calves separate so I could feed bottles... and the wind came up, driving rain sideways... had to open door to let the calves outside, into the barn... and finished the bottles and got the big calf back over into the other side with the twin bulls...
The wind last night moved the roof off the other building about 25-40 ft away from the calf barn/gate... so not a problem to get in and out the gate now...

Down to 49 now, wind is less but still a breeze. High wind warning through Sat night about 6 p.m.....

The one farm that put off from last week, to do next Mon or Tues is going to put off for another week... the wife's brother was killed in an accident... funeral is Tuesday... so sad... and they have someone coming to look at cows... they are going to sell a bunch while prices are high... going to quit milking/retire from the dairy cows within a year I think... might be able to get a nurse cow from them... all jerseys.... might be able to pick up one of the older cows or a heifer not making much milk when things shake out... I am sure whoever is coming to look at them now is going to take the best/better cows... there is one I really like, but she milks good... looks more guernsey than jersey and I would breed her guernsey ... but if I get one, I intend to breed guernsey anyway... that's what I had planned to do with my nurse cow that died when only 3 weeks fresh last Nov... Waiting to hear back from 2 other farms..... have 1 more that I would like to try to get in also...

Just saw this, forgot to hit post or else it didn't work last night.

 

[farmerjan]

Chilly 47 and sun is out. May be going to the sale today, DS just texted me... so going to get going, see if I can get them in after I get the calves fed.

Can't get the propane heater to restart in the LR this morning... like it isn't getting any propane... but kitchen stove is working fine...
Something else to have to deal with later...it is too chilly to not have it warming up the house a bit....

 

[farmerjan]

Back home for some lunch... Day didn't go as planned but what else is new.

Sunny and strong breeze out there but nothing like the last couple days... Warmer... 66 so decent.

Went up and fed bottle calves... got the 2 cows and their calves in that are getting sold... texted DS and said they were in. Got them sorted around so he could back up to get them, and everyone out that needed to be out and the 2 in the barn with their calves. Decided to only take the big holstein calf since he would bring better money.,...the twins eat better anyway.... they are small like the twin heifers from before...
So he gets there, we get them loaded and he was going to the barn to make sure that the other cow that lost her calf and is not one you can work with....had come down out of the field into the long alley when he opened the gate... along with most of the cows out of the calving field... with their calves... He said that he wanted to get some of them moved out to pasture today so there are less in there to deal with calving, and the grass is starting to come on... plus there would not be very many out at this place yet so they would be good on the grass.... it is not growing alot, but enough to support 10-15 at this point..
So, getting them in the barn, getting them sorted and all that I just said, forget going to the sale, let's get these calves worked and sorted and matched and all... I could tell that going to the sale was not what he wanted to do with it being so nice out... and decided to just tell him to put the 2 cows in the field with one other one that was thin and her calf, that he had put separate to feed a bit more to... and then next week they can go... he said if "I" had the trailer, then he would have to go borrow another trailer from a friend to move the cows to pasture... because of course the floor has not been replaced in the other one we have there... and I just decided it is not worth the aggravation to go today. So, we got the other cows and calves in, the calves all got worked/banded/vacc with blackleg... and most all matched up but 2... PLUS there is a TINY, TINY little black calf that no one is claiming... and it was running from cow to cow trying to steal something... there is a cow that had a calf in the last day or 2, thinking it might be a twin, or someone had a very little calf... It is not a premie, gets around real good... full hair coat and all... just no one claiming it.

So, he was going to take 12 cows and 12 calves to the pasture and I came home and got a bottle to feed this little guy because it was looking very gaunted up......gave it 3/4 bottle so it would not get too much and scour.... and will give it 1/2 bottle tonight since it won't be alot of time from this feeding, to the evening one... it is going to come to the nurse cow barn and going to be a bottle calf... and he will bring the holstein back up there for me to feed so it is not exposed to any germs at doug's barn and get sick... And this makes it easier for him to match up the 3 calves that he is not sure of in the field when he puts those cows back out... some that have not calves yet... and the couple he is just not sure of... The calves are locked away from the cows in the barn now, so he might be able to match them up when he gets back from the first load of cows....and take the 2 "extra calves" in the barn with their momma's if he is sure of who they belong to... otherwise they will go back in the field with the cow and the new calf, and the ones that have not calved yet... and the 3rd calf that did not come in with the rest of the cows earlier...it stayed up with the cow and new calf in the field... This gets some out at least...

So, I will hopefully take the big holstein to the sale next Sat along with the 2 cows and calves that are being culled........they don't have enough milk to feed them and they are in pretty good condition now so time to cull... hopefully baby/young calves will still be high.... plus the cow of his that had the dead calf.... she will run through you in the barn.... another reason I said I would NOT try putting a calf on her....

So with that, I came back, ate some lunch since I had figured to eat at the sale and it was after 2 and I was getting hungry... It is too windy to do alot out there for very long, not real warm today but tolerable when we were doing the cows... wind has picked up a bit from earlier.

I'm going to putter along here in the house I guess... might go down to the dumpster with some of the stuff I have here ready to go... or at least get it loaded and take tomorrow. They are open Sunday afternoon.
Too windy to even think about burning again this evening... winds are supposed to taper off tonight maybe.

2 farms got back to me so testing on Wed and Friday.... mower is scheduled to come on Thursday... waiting on one more to let me know if they want Mon or Tues....or the following week. Will have to schedule the one for the following week too... that has the funeral this coming week...

Need to take a couple sq bales up to the nurse cow barn so the calves coming in the barn, can have some... and for the new babies to have something to try out and munch ....

Lunch break is over...

 

[Mini Horses]

At least you found that tiny calf while it was still alive!! It'll have a chance now. Is there another new one on a cow & maybe this was a twin. ?

Chilly here, too...even at 70, the winds drop it into low 60s, if your in it long you're cold. Warm if out of wind. Inside, feels like ac had been on. Was upper 40s at get up & not warm. I'm baking potatoes & biscuits to heat up the house while I cook the cubed steaks and gravy in a bit. Some home canned corn & beans from pantry. Yum. Big dinner

Hope the winds die down as predicted for tomorrow. Want to get that stretch of fence on garden/horse pasture up so I can get garden going. Posts are still good, tight, save one that's been down. I'll pound a t-post there. Everything here & ready to do -- that's a plus I'll get the cardboard & mulch moved out there inside fence to use when ready. If time, I'll mark rows, etc. A second person would be nice....help wanted

 

[Ridgetop]

The wind last night moved the roof off the other building about 25-40 ft away from the calf barn/gate... so not a problem to get in and out the gate now...

Maybe you will get a few more big winds and it can blow the roof to your place! LOL

Another bottle calf for you. Glad you worked the cows when you did so you could rescue it.

Getting a new nurse cow (or even two) now that you are getting so many bottle calves and the market is good for them from the Jersey dairy if they sell out sounds really good.

 

[farmerjan]

The calf is a twin to one on the cow that just calved and did not come down out of the field... and for now I am not going to be feeding it because the GF decided she wants to raise it... put it in a shed at her house, make a little outside pen with a couple of gates so it can go outside(which is fine) ... and totally isolate it from any other cows/calves(which is NOT FINE) ... and when DS told me that this evening... I said to him, really.... what if it is a twin to a bull so won't be any good for breeding and what is the point in making it a pet... and he says, well, she will get tired of it in a few days, when she has something she wants to go do and it isn't convenient to go out and feed it; or it is raining and she doesn't want to be bothered; or she has somewhere to go and won't get home in time to take care of it...
SO WHY cater to her.... ?????? The calf would be much happier up at the calf barn with 3 other calves to play with... and not to sound like I am bragging, but I know what I am doing with these bottle calves... especially new ones and little twins... I was emphatic about how much to feed and NOT to over feed... but she doesn't listen to people ....
Turns out the calf on the cow is only a little bigger than this one, so it definitely is a twin... the other one is a heifer also so at least it ought to be "good" as far as breedable... but it is doubtful we will keep them as the cow is only an average cow... not overly great... but once they get made a "pet" then he won't sell them... like that bull calf she made such a pet of that has no respect for people or their space... and won't stay in fences... DS said he is going to sell him... and now, she said that is fine with her ..... like her opinion matters that much...

Should have taken the calf to the nurse cow barn myself, but she came to the barn right when he was going to move some of the cows, and got to go do the more fun stuff turning the cows out to grass... and I went and got the stuff to feed the calf... and since the holstein was there and needed to come to the barn, it was easier for him to just bring both at once..

So they brought the holstein to the barn, and the little twin was in the large dog crate... it might weigh 35 lbs... and was mooing the whole time, hearing the cows up there at the barn mooing...
His cow, his calf... can't do anything about it...
I had to supply some milk replacer and the bottle with the lamb size nipple for the calf.....



I have a T-shirt that says "God grant me peace because if you grant me strength, you are going to have to supply some money for bail too....." that's about how I feel right now...

 

[Ridgetop]

I have a T-shirt that says "God grant me peace because if you grant me strength, you are going to have to supply some money for bail too....." that's about how I feel right now...

And so true!